


Sugden-Dingle actually

by SugdenLovesDingle



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Happy Husbands, M/M, rebecca mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 08:44:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17784218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Valentines day 2019 in the Sugden-Dingle household





	Sugden-Dingle actually

**Author's Note:**

> written for the [robron secret valentine](https://robronsecretvalentine.tumblr.com) on tumblr

It all started with a seemingly innocent comment from Ellis during a tea break in the portacabin. He mentioned wanting to take Vic out to dinner to a new restaurant in Hotten on Valentines day and how happy he was that he’d managed to get a table.

“What are you guys up to for Valentines? Any big plans? Being newlyweds and all that.”

Aaron had scoffed at that.

“We’re not newlyweds, we got married in October.”

“That’s only a few months.” Ellis shrugged.

“It’s our anniversary next week. And it’s Liv’s birthday on the 16th so we’ve decided not to do anything special for Valentines day.” Robert told him.

Ellis raised an eyebrow at that.

“Your first valentines day as a married couple and you’re not doing anything?”

“We’re going to Liverpool for the weekend next week. See Seb and spend the day with him. And then get a hotel in the city.”

“Exactly.” Robert added before frowning at his phone screen when it started ringing. “Rebecca? Is everything ok? Is Seb alright?” He asked when he answered the call.

“Yes, he’s fine, but can you come get him please? I need you to take him for a few days.”

“Uh… ok… are you alright?” Robert asked, looking around for his car keys.

“Ross is taking me down to London for a few days for Valentines day.” She said as if that explained everything.

“Ok… and you can’t take Seb with you to London?”

“Well… no. It’s only a room for two people, you know, and we’re not planning on leaving it much. So we won’t have time to look after Seb.”

Robert made a face when he realised what she meant.

“Right. Noted. When are you leaving?”

“Tomorrow. So come get him tonight and you can bring him back next weekend when you were going to come visit anyway. We won’t be home until Tuesday.”

“Alright… sure. Write down in your book that we’re having him until next weekend then. So you won’t forget why he’s with us.”

“I won’t forget where my son is, Robert.” Rebecca snapped and Robert rolled his eyes.

“I’m on my way. Can you make sure his bag is packed? I’ll ring you when I get to Liverpool.” He said and hung up after saying goodbye to Rebecca.

“Everything alright?” Aaron asked.

“Rebecca has decided she want us to have Seb until next weekend so she can go shag Ross in London. Her words, not mine.”

Aaron frowned.

“Right. Great.”

“I better get going or I’ll get stuck in traffic.”

“Take my car, his seat is in there.” Aaron said, holding out his keys for Robert to take.

“Thanks.” Robert said and pressed a quick kiss goodbye to his lips. “I’ll see you at home when I get back.” He said and left.

Ellis waited until the sound of tires on the gravel outside had died down before turning to Aaron.

“So what are you really planning for Valentines day?”

“I told you, nothing special.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. We talked about it and we decided not to do anything. Just a take out and a film at home or something.”

“Right.”

“What?”

“It’s not very romantic is it? What did you do last year?”

“We… weren’t together last year. I was technically seeing someone else.” Aaron said after a moment.

“Technically?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Alright. And the year before? Vic mentioned you’ve been together a few years.”

Aaron nodded.

“We didn’t do anything special that year.” He told him, leaving out the details. “We got married in the pub a week after that. Well… more like in the garage. It’s a long story.” He added when Ellis’ eyebrows shot up in surprise. “We’ve just… never really made a big deal out of it. It’s just another day isn’t it?”

“Sure mate. Not everyone is into the big romantic gestures thing, eh?” Ellis said and drank the last of his tea before shrugging his hi-vis vest back on. “I better crack on with that car out there so maybe my boss will let me knock off early.” He grinned and left Aaron alone with his thoughts.

Maybe Ellis had a point. It was their first Valentines day as a married couple. The first one in their entire relationship where they were together, and happy, and no impending doom looming in the near future. Maybe he should plan something special for Robert.

He grabbed his phone and felt like the world’s biggest idiot for googling ‘romantic valentines ideas’. Robert was his husband, the person he knew better than anyone else in the world, some BuzzFeed list wasn’t going to help here.

He decided to ask Vic for Sarah Sugden’s lasagne recipe. Robert had mentioned and even made it for them a few times and Aaron knew it was more than a simple recipe to him.

Only when Vic sent him the recipe a little while later he realised it was a lot more work than he thought, and also slightly above the level of his culinary skills. Not wanting a repeat of the year before, Aaron gave up on the idea of cooking something special for his husband.

He turned back to google and ended up scrolling through endless lists of sexy, crazy, lovely, cute, and all kinds of other adjectives valentines day surprises and Pinterest pages of dinner tables and king size beds covered in rose petals.

He hated all of it. Candlelit dinners, sexy underwear, and rose petals just wasn’t them.

Robert much preferred him in a suit, or out of it for that matter, and candles with Seb in the house was a big no. Just like rose petals on the bed. It might look nice in pictures but it would be a nightmare to clean up afterwards.

He jumped when his phone rang and a picture of his family showed up on the screen.

“Rob. Everything ok?”

“Yeah, fine. We’re taking a little detour because the M62 is madness today. Do you want me to pick up some food on the way home? Chinese? Or pizza.”

“You’ve already got Seb?” Aaron asked, only now realising how much time had passed since Robert had left.

“Yeah, of course. I know you think speed limits are merely suggestions but even when you stick to them it doesn’t take that long to get to Liverpool, you know.” Robert teased and Aaron could hear Seb babbling in the background.

“Yeah that’s right Seb, daddy Aaron is being silly.

Aaron smiled.

“Hey Seb, don’t listen to daddy Robert, he’s being a prat. As usual.” He joked and they both laughed. “Just get home both of you. We’ll get a couple of pizzas from David’s.”

They spent the evening having a cartoon marathon with Seb (and Liv calling them both losers for being just as into them as the little boy) and taking their time bathing him and tucking him into bed (and reading him two stories instead of one) and Aaron felt content. The stress and doubts from that afternoon forgotten.

Until they settled down in front of the tv and everything seemed to revolve around the perfect date for Valentines day, that was. If Robert could put together a wedding in 24 hours, surely he could do the same with a romantic night for two?

He waited until Robert had dozed off on the sofa and resisted the urge to snuggle up beside him. Instead, he carefully grabbed his laptop and dove back into his research from that afternoon. Only still nothing really seemed to fit them. Not in the least because all of the tips and ideas were based on straight couples. Girls putting on sexy lingerie for their man, and guys taking their girlfriends out to fancy restaurants after surprising them with expensive jewellery.

Robert liked the finer things in life but Aaron also knew he loved their curry and beer dates in the pub. And getting an expensive gift and a table in a restaurant at the last minute just wasn’t going to happen.

It was nearing 2AM when Seb started crying and woke Robert up.

Robert, who was dead to the world as soon as his head hit the pillow, or the back of the sofa in this case, now woke up whenever their little boy needed him. He had really grown into being the best dad possible and Aaron loved that about him.

“What time is it?” Robert mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Late.” Aaron said, closing his computer. “He probably needs changing. I’ll get him, you go to bed.”

Robert nodded, kissed Aaron goodnight and went upstairs to their bedroom while Aaron tended to Seb.

The next morning Robert surprised him with breakfast in bed. Which had been exactly Aaron’s idea. Robert always claimed he made the world’s best fry up, so that’s what he’d planned to surprise him with. Only he’d forgotten to set his alarm earlier than usual and Robert had beaten him to it.

“Happy Valentines day.” Robert said as he placed the tray on his lap and kissed him.

Fresh juice and heart shaped pieces of toast.

“Liv is getting Seb up and fed so we can have a little lie in.”

“Oh…ok. I thought we weren’t doing anything special?”

“Orange juice and toast is hardly special, is it?” Robert replied, smiling around a bite of toast.

It turned out ‘nothing special’ to Robert meant post its stuck around the house, his car, and his desk in the portacabin with reasons why Robert loves him written on it, and an empty house for the afternoon while Liv was at college, and Seb at wishing well with Sam and Lydia and his new best friend Spamela.

Aaron loved it and hated it at the same time.

“Hey, are you alright?” Robert asked, tracing patterns on his bare chest while propping himself up on his elbow in their bed. “You’re so quiet.”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bit tired. Seb kept me up half the night.” Aaron replied and gave him a quick smile and a kiss, hoping Robert would be satisfied with that answer and drop the subject.

“No, come on, I know that’s not it. Talk to me.”

Aaron sighed.

“It’s nothing. I’m fine. Forget it. We should get dressed and pick up Seb.”

“Seb is fine with Sam and Lydia. He loves them and that pig. Talk to me.” Robert pushed. “Did I do something wrong?”

“What? No. You did absolutely nothing wrong. You’re amazing. I love you.” Aaron said and kissed Robert again for emphasis.

“I love you too.” Robert replied. “But tell me what’s bothering you.”

“Nothing. It’s stupid.”

“I’m sure it’s not.”

Aaron sighed again. Of course Robert wouldn’t let it drop.

“Come on, we promised we’d talk to each other, remember?”

Aaron sat up against the headboard of their bed and waited for Robert to do the same.

“Nothing is wrong, I promise. Everything is perfect… but…”

“Is it too much? I know we said we wouldn’t do anything special but… -”

“It’s not too much but I haven’t done anything for you. You made me breakfast, and then all those little notes, and now an afternoon in bed. You do everything and I wanted to do something special for you too but you beat me to it. Every time.” Aaron explained, exasperated.

Robert laughingly shook his head.

“Come here you idiot.” He said and pulled Aaron closer. “This is not a competition. I love you, I want to be with you, always.”

“I know… but… I just… wanted to do something nice for you too.”

Robert grinned.

“What we just did definitely classes as nice.”

Aaron affectionately rolled his eyes.

“Is that all you want me for, eh? Sex?”

“Among other things.” Robert joked and then turned serious. “Aaron you believed in me when no-one else did, you gave me a home, a family, you love me, you made me feel like I belong somewhere again. Like I belong here. That’s all I need. I don’t need gifts or big romantic gestures. As long as I’m with you, I’m happy.” He said and pulled Aaron in for a kiss.

“Soft lad.” Aaron said and Robert just grinned. “Just… let me do something for you every once in a while, yeah?”

“Aaron it’s not a co -”

“Competition. Yeah I know. But I want to, ok? I want to. So just let me take care of you for the rest of the day alright? I’ll go get Seb and make dinner for us.”

“You? Cooking? Is that a good idea?” Robert teased.

“I can cook.” Aaron replied, slightly indignant, which made Robert laugh.

“Just no pasta from scratch, alright? That’s my department. You’ll get your flower to egg ratio all wrong again.”

Aaron grinned.

“Alright MasterChef Sugden, no pasta.”

“It’s Sugden-Dingle, actually.”


End file.
